Washed White and Made New
by Irish Southern Belle
Summary: What if Molly didn't kill Bellatrix? What if she gave her another chance - a sort of do-over somewhere far away from the wizarding world? If Bellatrix grew up under different circumstances, would she still turn out the same way?
1. Prologue

**AN: Sorry I had to take everything down due to computer issues but it's back up now, and hopefully I'll post more updates soon! And I don't own Twilight or Harry Potter!**

Prologue

The short witch was infuriated that this black-hearted woman would try to harm her daughter. Even so, she was a merciful witch, and as she whipped out her wand, she did not whisper the words of the killing curse. No, she chose another spell – a spell that would give the sorceress another chance to not go off the deep end. The crazy witch's body turned to stone and then burst into a million pieces. The pieces turned to black mist, which floated out the window. To the untrained eye, this would have indeed looked like a killing. However, the mist did not simply scatter in the wind once it floated outside. Instead, a strong breeze began to carry it across the castle grounds, and eventually, into the muggle world. The wind didn't stop in London but rather continued to push the mist far away, all the way to the United States. The mist stopped in a little town in Washington, where it hovered over a small, white house near a large forest. Then, a baby girl materialized out of the mist, right on the front porch of the white house. Wrapped in strange black clothes and laying on top of a funny looking stick and a necklace, the infant began to cry – LOUDLY.

A young man and his wife ran to the door and were shocked to find her. Baffled by the infant and the strange items she had been left with, they took her inside and agreed to take care of her until they found her family. The man had recently begun working as a police officer in the tiny town, and he told his fellow officers all the details of the infant that was left on his doorstep. They inquiries and searched for months, but no one came looking for her. In that time, the young police officer and his wife fell in love with the adorable baby girl. They decided to adopt her as their own.

The couple was trying to decide what to name her when they noticed an inscription on the back of the necklace they had found with her. It read:

"To our dearest Bella.

Love always,

Your sisters."

"This 'Bella' must have been her mother," commented the wife. "I think we should name the baby after her." The husband agreed, and they adopted the child soon after that. Her official name on the birth certificate was 'Isabella Marie Swan.'

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	2. Chapter 1

**AN: I don't own HP or Twilight! Enjoy!**

Chapter 1

As soon as I step off the plane, I'm nearly knocked over by a blistery gust of northern air. Oh, Forks, how I have missed you.

Not.

This is, in fact, where I was born. When I was a baby, though, Renee left Charlie and took me with her. We've lived in Phoenix ever since. I don't know why I call my parents by their first names, really. Maybe I'm just mature. I've never had any real friends my age; I was always more comfortable chatting with Renee's girlfriends. She always says that I was born thirty-five years old and get more middle-aged every year. Anyway, she – chilled out, free-spirit Renee – raised me, so I guess that's why I never got the "ma'am" and "sir" stuff drilled into me when I was a child. Charlie, on the other hand, doesn't like it when I call him by his first name, so I try to avoid doing that – around him, anyway.

Here he comes now, scooping me up in a big bear hug. "Hey, Bells!" he greets me warmly. "I still can't believe you're here."

That makes two of us. It's not that I don't like Charlie; I miss him all the time. I just know this place is gonna drive me crazy. I'm already wishing for Phoenix's blazing heat...this isn't about me, though; this is about Renee finally marrying Phil. They deserve to have each other to themselves for awhile without me getting in the way. I certainly don't want them to end up like she and Charlie did.

I pull myself back to the present, to Charlie. "Yeah Dad," I say, "It's about time we get in a good, long visit. Once a year just isn't enough." He grunts, embarrassed, and I try not to laugh as we walk over to the police cruiser. Charlie is Chief Swan back in Forks, and he absolutely loves it.

It's a bit of a drive from the airport back to Forks, and I find myself dozing off. When I open my eyes, Charlie's gently shaking my shoulder. "Wake up, honey," he can't keep the cheerfulness out of his gruff voice, "We're home."

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Wow. I forgot just how green everything was here. I stopped coming to Forks a few years back, insisting that Charlie meet me halfway instead of me making my usual summer visit. I can't believe that was five years ago. I was only eleven.

When I get out of the cruiser, though, I can see that nothing has changed. The same little, white house and the same never-ending forest behind it. Charlie clears his throat behind me. "Um, Bells? Why don't we go ahead and get your stuff up to your room? I think Billy might be stopping over here in a little bit."

Billy Black, my father's best friend. He lives outside of Forks, on the Quileute reserve with his kids. "Oh yeah," I say, remembering, "Aren't his kids my age? Rachel and Rebecca…? Doesn't he have a son, too?"

Charlie's brown eyes twinkle at me, his pride at my remembering something about this place clearly showing. "Yeah, actually Rachel and Rebecca are a few years older than you are. They've both moved out, but Jacob's in high school."

Jacob. How could I have forgotten? He was the little boy I used to play hide-and-seek with when I was really little. When we were a little older, our dads would make us go fishing with them. I can remember it so clearly now…Jacob and I were bored out of our minds, so we'd swim instead, "…scaring all the fish," as Charlie put it. Good ole Jacob. I wonder what he's like now? It's been so long.

"Could you grab the door for me, Bells?" Charlie has all of my luggage – not that I have that much, considering I'm going to be living here, but still – in his arms. I take the key from his free hand and quickly let him in, following him up the stairs to my old room. I only lived here as a baby, but I remember it from my summer visits. It's the brightest room in the house, with soft yellow paint and a big window, so that's a plus. I have to share the hall bathroom with Charlie, but hopefully that won't be too bad.

He collapses in the rocking chair to catch his breath, and I begin to unpack my big suitcase when we hear a loud honk outside. Charlie starts toward the door. "Come on," he beckons, "I've got a surprise for you."

Outside, Jacob is helping Billy out of the truck and into his wheelchair. "Hello!" Billy calls to Charlie and me. Jacob looks up at us, pushing his long, black hair out of his eyes. I can't help but notice the way those black locks fall against his perfect, caramel skin. He certainly isn't a little boy anymore.

"Hey, Billy! Jacob!" Charlie walks out to greet them, with me following.

"Bella!" Billy reaches out his hand and shakes mine firmly. "It's been too long."

I smile at him. "It's good to see you, Billy. Hey, Jacob."

Jacob grins. "Hey. We brought you something."

Charlie walks over to the truck and motions grandly toward it. "Welcome home, Bella. Jacob's got a car, so they sold me the truck. I know you're going to need it – to get to school and wherever. Just wanted you to feel at home here."

That's quite the speech for Charlie. I take a look at the sturdy, rusty-red pick-up and give him a quick hug, not wanting to embarrass him too much in front of Billy and Jacob.

"Thank you so much!" I exclaim. "I can't wait to drive it; this thing looks tough."

All three of them laugh at that. "Oh, it is," Jacob assures me.

"Come on, Billy," Charlie says, walking back toward the house. "Let's go inside. The game's about to start."

Jacob and I follow them into the house. "So," I prompt him, "What have you been up to?"

His face lights up. "Been working on a car, actually."

"Liking fixing it?"

"More like building it."

"Wow. Jacob, that's awesome! I didn't know you were so good with cars."

"It's been a long time since you've been to Forks, Bella. I've grown up," he says proudly, but I can hear the teasing tone in his voice.

"Yeah, you're an old man now," I joke.

"Oh yeah?" he catches on. "And how old are you?"

"Seventeen," I groan, guessing what's coming.

"Yeah, I'm fifteen. You're the old lady," he teases me. I return his smile, deciding that he'd be a fun friend to have. I never really got to know him that well – just hung out for a week in the summer back when we were kids – but I already feel at home around him.

"Well," I tell him, as we sit down in the living room to watch the basketball game with our dads, "I'm glad I'll know at least one person at school this week."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you go to ForksHigh School?"

"No," Jacob shakes his head, "I go to school on the Rez."

Ugh. Oh well. "That's too bad," I find myself saying.

"Yeah," he agrees, "But Charlie and my dad like to get together to watch games a lot, and I have to drive my dad, so I'm out here in Forks a lot."

"Sounds good to me," I tell him. Why was I worried about Forks being boring? Jacob and I were always able to find an adventure. I look over at Billy and Charlie, who are completely wrapped up in the game, and stifle a giggle. I didn't expect to ever feel this way, but Forks is already starting to feel like home.

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	3. Chapter 2

**AN: I don't own anything!**

Chapter 2

_Sunlight filtering down through the tall trees. Soft, summer breezes inviting me deeper into the forest. I leave the little, white house behind, running, laughing. Deeper and deeper into the woods. _

_CRACK._

_What was that?_

_Running, running, stop to look back, catch my breath._

_"My dear, sweet child, whatever are you running from?"_

_Just a sweet lady. Nothing to be afraid of. _

_"I thought something was trying to get me."_

_"There, now, I didn't mean to frighten you. I came to protect you."_

_"From what?"_

_"From yourself."_

_She waves something over me, whispers words too low to hear._

_"What was that?"_

_"Just a spell. Now, they won't know to look for you."_

_"Who?"_

_"The other people like me. They think you're bad, but I have faith in people. I think that you can be good. So I'm willing to keep you hidden from them to give you that chance."_

_"What does that mean?"_

_"It means…that I really must be going. Take care, Bellatrix."_

_CRACK._

_She's vanished._

My eyes flutter open, and I sit up immediately when I see that I'm not in my own bed. Exhausted and completely disoriented, it takes me a moment to remember that I'm in Forks. What a strange dream. I feel as though I've had that one before or something similar to it…being in Forks always gives me strange dreams, though. Normally, however, I don't remember them so clearly. Rolling over, I push the dream out of my head for now and try to get some more sleep before my first day at a new school.

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Obviously, I'm not looking forward to starting school at Forks High School; not only am I junior enrolling at a new school, but it's one of those schools where everyone knows everybody else – because the town's tiny. At least the school year's already half over. I hate waking up in the winter when it's freezing cold and possibly snowing, but on the bright side, I now have a sturdy old pickup truck to get me there.

My first day really isn't as awkward as I'd been expecting. People are pretty friendly to me, the new girl, even helping me find my classes when I look lost. At lunch, I sit with Jessica, a bubbly and very chatty brunette who's in a couple of classes, and her friends – Angela, Ben, Eric, Mike, and Lauren. I have class with most of them. They seem pretty normal. Lauren might be a bit stand-offish, but other than that, I think they like me alright.

The conversation turns to some show I haven't seen, and my eyes wander across the cafeteria, taking in the various clusters of kids eating lunch. Someone opens the cafeteria door, and I shift my gaze to observe the newcomers – three guys and two girls. Only, they aren't your typical high school students. They all have pale, flawless skin and absolutely gorgeous hair. Their physiques are nothing short of perfect. Honestly, who looks like that?

I lean over to Jessica. "Who are _they_?" I half-whisper. She follows my gaze to them as they buy their food and sit at an empty table, too far away to hear us.

She quickly explains that they're the adopted children of young Dr. Cullen and his wife. They moved here about a year ago. According to Jessica, they're all together – Rosalie Hale and Emmet Cullen, and Jasper Hale and Alice Cullen. Edward Cullen is the odd man out, apparently. I continue to watch them, amazed by their beauty. I don't know which couple is which, but one is a dark-haired grizzly bear of a guy with all his muscles, and a tall blonde who looks right at home on a runway. The other couple is a more lanky, blonde boy and a petite, dark-haired girl with a pixie cut. I can easily tell which one is Edward because the couples are each sitting super close. Edward looks a bit younger than the other guys – probably my age – still built but not extremely muscular like the big guy. Also, he's got a head full of thick, bronze hair. What a perfect looking family…and they aren't even related!

"They're so…" I can't even put their beauty into words, but Jessica laughs in agreement.

"I know!" Jessica agrees. "And they're, like, super rich! Too bad Edward Cullen's such a snob…" I would ask what she meant, but as soon as the words are out of her mouth, I notice Edward start to laugh at nothing in particular. The others in his family, who were just staring off into space until now, look at him, confusion apparent on their lovely faces. Edward's looking at Jessica now. Wait. He couldn't have heard her, could he? No, that's impossible. We're too far away, and the cafeteria is noisy.

Jessica has already rejoined her friends' conversation, but Edward flicks his gaze to me and catches me staring at him. Great. I look down immediately, feeling myself blushing, and when I look up, he's still staring. The amused look is gone, now replaced by one of intense puzzlement. He's staring hard at me, as if trying to figure something out. What's with him? Obviously frustrated for some unknown reason, he looks away, but I think I can see his lips barely moving. Is he whispering to them? I have no idea what just happened, but I get the feeling that the Cullen family is full of secrets.

I see Edward again later – in my Biology class. All the other seats are claimed, except for the one by him. I wonder if this is because he and his family isolate themselves on purpose or if they just don't fit in. Still pondering his strange family, I walk over to my seat at his lab table. As I do, he tenses up; his arms were resting casually on the table, but he now crosses them, as if with great effort, and grits his teeth. Edward stares straight ahead. Trying my best to ignore his strange behavior, I set down my backpack and sit in my chair beside him.

Well, this is awkward. I'm certainly not the most outgoing person in the world, but I don't flat out ignore people. Maybe Jessica was right; maybe he is just a rich snob. I pull a notebook and pen out of my bag, wondering where the teacher is. I look around. Mike's in this class, too. He's sitting in the back with some other guy, laughing it up. I sigh quietly. It's been a long, busy first day, and I'm pretty much ready to go home and just relax.

Edward, who hasn't moved a muscle, sneaks a peek at me. Whoops, I didn't think I had sighed that loudly. I lock eyes with him when he looks my way, and his curiosity seems to get the better of him. Instead of going back to staring at the front of the classroom, he gives me the tiniest of smiles. It's then that I notice the peculiar shade of his eyes; they're a rich, golden color. He still has his arms folded tightly, flexing the muscles in what I can now see are very toned arms, but he seems as if he wants to be friendly.

"Hello," he greets me with a smooth, low voice. "I'm Edward Cullen."

"Isabella Swan," I respond. "But I go by Bella. Nice to meet you." Something about the way he talks and enunciates every syllable makes me feel the need to be formal.

"And you as well," he returns. A pause and then, "So you're Chief Swan's daughter." It isn't a question.

"Yeah," I say, "Do you know him?"

"No, but my father has. He said he was a decent fellow." A decent fellow? Seriously, what century is this guy from?

Our teacher walks in and passes out the lab materials. It's an easy lab, though, and Edward and I are soon finished. I notice that everyone else is still struggling, though. Oh. I _thought _it was easy. School's never been hard for me, though. Edward must be pretty sharp, too. He did half the work.

The teacher is helping another pair with their experiment, so we just sit and wait for him to come check our work. Exhausted from my restless night before, I decide that I can't fight my drooping eyelids any longer. I don't know if Edward's watching me anymore or not, but I put my arms on the table and lay my head down on top of them, surrendering to sleep. The second I close my eyes, though, I see that woman again – the red-headed woman from my dreams last night.

Her words repeat in my head. "I came to protect you…from yourself." Her face fades from my thoughts into a moving blur of people whose faces I don't recognize. I can't make out what they're doing; everything's moving so fast, but I then hear the most awful screaming, a terrible haunting sound that chills me to my very bones.

I gasp aloud and sit straight up in my chair, breathing hard. The screaming is gone. All I can hear now is the noisy commotion of this high school classroom. Thankfully, no one seems to have noticed my little episode…

No one but Edward.

He stares at me, clearly concerned. "Are you all right, Bella?" he wants to know. I've almost got my breathing under control, but my heart is still racing. Edward looks at me with that same intense expression from lunch today, as if he's trying to analyze me or something.

"Y-yeah, I think so," I manage. I'm just seeing things, hearing things, losing my mind…no big deal.

He isn't convinced. "What happened?" he asks me.

"Nothing," I lie. "Just…thought I felt a bug crawling on me." I'm a terrible liar, and I know instantly that he can see right through me. No need to tell him what really happened or that something like this has happened to me a few times before…never this clearly though. Before, it was only a blur and a bunch of low voices. This – this is a whole new level of strange.

I still feel his eyes on me, so I hesitantly meet his penetrating gaze again. It's like he's challenging me with his stare; he doesn't have to say anything aloud because his eyes are saying, "I don't believe you."

He finally does speak, though. "You know," he admits, "you are a very difficult person to read."

That's surprising. It's also an odd thing to say to someone you just met. "Really?" I ask him. "I've always been told I'm like an open book."

"Well, to an extent," he allows.

"What do you mean?"

"Well…I could tell that you were making that up a minute ago – about it being a bug that scared you – but I couldn't actually figure out what really happened." His eyebrows knit together in frustration again. Why is he so concerned about me? We're strangers, really.

"…and normally you can with people?" I ask him. "Read them, I mean?"

He grins, confident in his abilities. "I _always _can…you're the one exception."

"That's…interesting."

"Yes," he says, more to himself than to me. "Very interesting indeed."

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After school lets out, I think over my first day as I drove home in the truck. I've got lots of homework, but it's all stuff that I'm familiar with. I'm already sort of in with a group of friends. My thoughts return to my strange conversation with Edward Cullen and my…vision, for lack of a better word. I honestly don't know who's stranger – the Cullens or myself. I've never told anyone about my little visions. People would just think I'm crazy. Ugh.

I reach home and decide to make dinner since Charlie won't be home from work for a few hours…plus I'm sick of grilled cheese. I guess that's his go-to recipe. After finishing my homework, I decide that I'm going to make dinner tonight. Searching the fridge for ingredients, I finally emerge with eggs and pancake mix. Nothing fancy, but at least it isn't grilled cheese. I'll have to go to the store tomorrow and get some groceries; I did a lot of cooking in Phoenix, and it actually feels good to do it here. It makes me feel more at home – more like I'm back at my old home with Renee.

When Charlie finally walks in, he's surprised to see me cooking. He sniffs the air and comes over to the stove. "Sure smells good in here, Bells," he says. "What're you cooking?"

"Breakfast!" I tell him. "It's pretty much ready; are you hungry?"

"Starved," he admits. "Can I do anything to help?"

"Um, if you could just set the table? I've got everything else."

"Got it."

We sit down to dinner, and it's pretty good. I haven't had breakfast for dinner in quite a while. After a bit, Charlie asks me about my first day, and I tell him about my classes and my new friends. He's glad to hear that I'm already talking to people. Of course, he knows the names of every one of the kids I mention. When I bring up the Cullens, he seems to think highly of them, too, telling me how Dr. Cullen is such a great doctor and a great addition to this town.

We're almost finished with dinner when Renee calls me, checking in, wanting to know how my first day went. I go over the details again, and I ask her how Phil is. He's great; he's amazing…Renee tells me that she misses me already. "I wish I hadn't let you go away to Forks!" she confesses.

"You'll be fine; you've got Phil," I remind her. "Plus, this is a good experience for me, Renee…a learning experience."

She chuckles softly. "I don't know how you got to be so independent. You certainly didn't learn it from me. You're just an old soul, I guess."

"Okay, Mom," I laugh. "I've got to go clear away these dishes. I love you."

"Love you, too, honey. Bye."

"How is she?" my Charlie asks, awkwardly. I know he still loves my mother, which makes me sad for him.

"She's fine," I say. "Checking up on me."

Neither of us say any more on that subject. We clean up the kitchen, and he goes to watch television in the living room. I check the time. It's not even seven thirty. I've already finished my homework. I decide to head upstairs in search of something to do. I grab one of my favorite books and lay down on my bed, but as soon as my head hits the pillow, I'm out for the night.

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	4. Chapter 3

**AN: I don't own anything! Enjoy! Please Read & Review!**

Chapter 3

Wow. I must have been too tired to even dream because the next thing I know, it's morning. I must have really caught up on my sleep because I'm already awake, and my alarm hasn't even gone off yet. Day two at ForksHigh School, here I come. I'm feeling optimistic after meeting so many people yesterday. My old school in Phoenix was huge; here, I feel like I won't get lost in the crowd.

Charlie has already left for work when I head out. Because I pretty much woke up at the crack of dawn this morning, I'm running almost an hour early. I'm in a good mood, though, so I don't care. Maybe I'll even meet some more new people before school. I open the door, and brr, it's freezing – even more so than usual for Forks! I pull the hood of my coat closer around my face and try to run to my truck to escape the frigid air. However, the sidewalk – as well as the road – is covered in ice, which I only notice after I slip and take a tumble. My entire backside feels bruised. I get up and walk more carefully to my truck. As I get in and turn the heat on, I realize that I've never driven in conditions like this. I can't even remember it snowing in Phoenix in all the years that I lived there. It takes me forever to get to school today because I'm driving so slow, not wanting to slide on the icy road. Well, I guess I won't be as early as I thought.

It's begun to snow when I finally reach the school parking lot, and I only see a handful of cars here. Guess other kids are taking their time on the road this morning, too. Some people are out here, though, watching the snow fall. Two guys are even trying to run and slide on the ice, but they keep falling, much to the amusement of the girls they're trying to impress. Standing apart from them are the Cullens. They also look to be enjoying the weather. The girls watch as the guys gather up snow that has collected on a bench and start a snow ball fight amongst themselves.

Knowing that I'm wasting gas, I turn the heat off in my truck and open the door. Gingerly, I step down onto the ice-covered asphalt as the biting wind attacks my face, blowing my hood back and my hair everywhere. I notice Edward Cullen's head immediately turn so that he's staring at me. The others are quick to notice and look my way as well. Talk about awkward. Why are they staring at me? Embarrassed, I turn away from them and crouch down, pretending that I have to tie my shoe so they won't see my pale face turning scarlet red. I put my earphones in and crank up the volume on my iPod for good measure.

That's when I hear an odd sound – a sort of faint screeching. Suddenly, I'm knocked to the ground and pinned there. It's Edward. How in the hell did he get over here so fast? I look over my shoulder and realize why he's tackled me; someone's lost control of their van on the icy asphalt, and it's quickly heading toward us. My earphones have fallen out, and I realize that it wasn't a fain screeching at all. The sound is terrifying. All of this has happened in a matter of seconds, and I realize that in the next second or two, we'll both be crushed by the oncoming van. With one arm still holding me against the ground, Edward sticks the other arm out in front of him, as if to hold off the van.

We're both going to die. The only people I can see from this angle are the Cullens, staring shocked at the scene. The last thought I have before my imminent death is that I really wish I were standing where they are right now.

CRACK.

I feel as though I'm being shoved under water, pushed and pulled in a million different directions, sucked up into a tiny tube. Is this what death feels like? I hear incredibly loud wind rushing past my ears; then it stops after a second, maybe two. I open my eyes to find Edward still gripping onto my arm. Only, now it's as though he's hanging on for dear life. What on Earth? What happened to the van?

I move to sit up, and he quickly lets go of my arm, getting to his feet. Wait a minute. The other Cullens are standing by us; rather, we're standing by them. We're on the other side of the parking lot! I look back to my truck. The van hit it, and people are rushing over to it to check on the driver.

How did we get over here?

"Bella," I turn slowly to look at Edward and his family. "Are you all right?" he asks, clearly bursting with curiosity.

They're all staring at me – even more intently than before. "Yeah," I manage. "I'm just trying to figure out what just happened."

"That's what I wanna know!" says the burly brother. "How did you do that?"

"Emmett," Edward says, "Just give her a chance to breathe. I think – ."

"She's confused," the blonde boy quietly finishes for him.

"Bella," Edward says gently. "How did you get us over here?"

"How do you know it wasn't you?" I respond. "You're the one that just appeared over there on the other side of the parking lot! How does that even happen?"

"Just calm down," he tells me. I catch him looking pointedly at the blonde boy, right before a wave a calm washes over me. I shake it off. "What. Was. That?" I demand, feeling extremely creeped out now. "Damn it, Edward," huffs the tall, blonde girl. The blonde boy avoids my eyes, but Edward gazes into them without hesitation.

Without looking away from me, he addresses her, "Rosalie, please. I don't think we need to worry. She obviously has secrets as well."

Me? _They're _the ones with…abilities? Or am I just losing my mind? "What are you talking about?" I burst out. "What…secrets? I demand to know what's going on here! How we aren't dead! How in the bloody hell we just vanished and reappeared on the other side of the parking lot!"

Silence. "…quite the temper…" the blonde boy mutters under his breath.

"What was that?" I snap at him, knowing full well what he said. Emmett, the huge brother, snickers quietly.

"Bella," Edward begins. "If you want the truth from us, then you're going to have to explain yourself in return."

"Explain myself?"

"How you moved us safely from the van's path."

"Honestly, why do you think it was me?"

"Because I didn't do it," he pauses.

I rethink that terrifying moment with the van and how I wished I had been standing right…here.

Oh. It _was_ me. Somehow I wanted to vanish badly enough that I made it happen.

Realization slowly sinks in, and I'm vaguely aware of Edward sharing another look with the blonde boy. "I…think you might be right," I admit, unwilling to meet anyone's gaze. "So, whatever this is," I wonder aloud, "Does this mean I'm like you?"

I'm not sure what "like you" means, only that at least Edward and the blonde kid have unexplainable abilities, and apparently I do, too. Rosalie makes a disgusted sound and stalks off, clearly upset at how much I know. Emmett goes after her. I hear a siren approaching, and we turn to watch as an ambulance comes to take the van's driver to the hospital. For the moment, I forget about the strangest conversation I've ever had in my entire life. "I hope that guy's okay," I say, to no one in particular.

"He'll be better than okay," Edward's dark-haired sister assures me. "Carlisle will have him good as new in no time."

"Sorry," I turn to address her. "I didn't catch your name."

"Alice," she informs me brightly. "This is my boyfriend, Jasper." His lips twitch at "boyfriend." Some sort of inside joke?

"I'm Bella Swan," I tell them.

"We know," Alice says simply. "Chief Swan's daughter. The whole town's sort of been talking about your return to Forks."

The whole town? (It's a tiny place, but still. That's a little embarrassing.)

"Oh," is all I can think to say. "So…who's Carlisle?"

"Our father, Dr. Cullen," Edward answers. Huh. They call their parents by their first names, too.

The ambulance takes the injured boy away to the hospital, and teachers begin to herd students toward their classes. I see my window of opportunity quickly closing. "I really mean it," I reiterate. "Tell me what's going on here, please."

Edward takes a good, long look at me. Alice gasps behind me, and his stare is broken. I turn to look at her. Her eyes are open, but it's like she isn't seeing – not what we're seeing, anyway. After a moment, she breaks out of her trance, then gives me a little smile.

"No," Edward says randomly.

Alice answers him, as if she had spoken before, "…but you saw for yourself! She can handle the truth, Edward."

"It's a burden," he responds.

"It's more of a burden to feel alone – to feel like you're losing your mind…" Something about her words soften Edward's expression, and Jasper pulls her close. "If you won't tell her," she continues, "Then I will."

"Alright," Edward gives in. He turns to me. "If you still want the truth, Bella, meet us out here after school. I'll see you in class."

**Review please :)**


	5. Chapter 4

**AN: I don't own anything!**

Chapter 4

I'm still standing dumbfounded and staring after Edward, Alice and Jasper. The questions I have about them, about me, are ready to explode out of me, but I'm going to have to wait until after school like Edward said. The big crowd of students who gathered around the crashed van in the parking lot is now heading my way, toward their classes. Remembering that the van hit my truck, I run over to check on my red pick-up. Aside from a streak of blue paint, I can't find any damage on it. Jacob was right. This thing is tough.

Dragging my feet, I walk toward my first class, not sure how I'm going to concentrate on schoolwork. All I can think about is the incident with the van. I'm still not entirely convinced that I'm not going crazy. This – whatever this is, exactly – is the kind of thing that happens in movies. Before I have any more time to dwell on the incredible phenomenon I just witnessed and even took part in, though, class begins. The day seems to stretch on forever, so when I finally get to lunch, I decide to take things into my own hands.

The Cullens aren't here yet, so I shove my purse in my backpack and lean over to Jessica. "Be right back – I think I left my purse in my last class." She nods before going back to laughing uncontrollably at whatever Mike, the kid with spiky blonde hair, is saying. A little desperate, Jessica.

I head outside; unlike my old school in Phoenix, this high school is comprised of separate buildings for pretty much everything. There's only one door (for students) into the cafeteria building, so I lean against the wall just outside of it and wait. Soon enough, the Cullens stride up the path – all five of them.

Rosalie certainly isn't pleased to see me. The others just looked surprised. "Bella," Edward addresses me, "I thought we agreed to do this after school."

"I thought about that," I tell him. "But I didn't know if you'd actually show up. Besides, you're here now, so there's no reason you can't just explain it to me right here. No one's out here. Everyone's inside."

Rosalie glares at me but doesn't say anything. Edward and the others must have already told her they were planning on spilling their secrets to me later. Edward sighs, "Fine. Let's walk a little farther away, though." He leads the way to the edge of the woods near the school, and we are soon hidden from sight by the huge trees.

All five of them turn to look at me. "So," Alice asks, "What exactly do you want to know?"

"Everything!" I exclaim. "How Edward got over to me so fast, how I got us back, how um…Jasper did whatever that was with his mind?"

"Why don't we start with the last part?" Jasper asks. "Seems to be the easiest question."

Alice nods at him in encouragement, and he continues, "I have a gift, Bella. I can influence the emotions of others."

I let that sink in. "What, like a superpower? You can control what other people feel?"

"To some extent. I can't make them think a certain way, but most people I can calm down or relieve awkward tension…that sort of thing."

"Like you did to me earlier." They seem surprised at me for catching that, but he nods.

"And how did you get this…gift?" I ask, and it seems like a harmless enough question to me. However, I notice Rosalie and even Edward tense up. This must be the big secret.

"Well…" Jasper trails off, unsure. He looks around at the others, and I look to them as well.

"Please," Edward finally tells me. "Don't be afraid when we tell you. I wouldn't place this burden of knowledge upon anyone's shoulders, but knowing about us may help you to find out the truth about yourself…for you are clearly gifted as well."

What could be so bad that they're this scared to tell me? I already know that they're pretty much super-humans with unnatural abilities. What could the rest of the story be?

Edward swallows nervously, "You see, we – my siblings and I – we…how do I put this? We…well –"

"We're vampires!" Emmett finishes for him. They all gape at him, myself included.

"I was trying to break it to her gently," says Edward through gritted teeth.

"Well, you were taking too long," Emmett mutters.

"You're all insane," I state simply. "Vampires? That's impossible."

"After everything you saw this morning, you still think that?" Rosalie asks with a hint of suspicion.

I roll my eyes at her. "Prove it." She smiles and tries to lunge at me, but Edward steps in between the two of us before I can blink. "I don't think that's exactly what Bella meant, Rose," Edward says.

"Emmett?" Edward prompts him, not willing to move from his position between Rosalie and myself.

"With pleasure," chuckles Emmett, who now strides over to the largest tree in sight and rips it right out of the ground. I can feel my jaw drop in spite of myself. He grins, clearly pleased with himself, before dropping the tree back into the gaping hole in the ground, sending twigs flying everywhere. One flies past my face, and it takes a minute for me to feel its sting.

"Oh, no," Edward whispers. Within the blink of an eye, Jasper moves toward me with blurring speed, while Edward moves me behind himself. Jasper runs into Edward's outstretched hand, colliding with an earsplitting boom that reminds me of thunder.

Edward quickly steps away from me, and I notice his body is tensed up the way it was when I sat next to him in class yesterday. What's that about? Alice attempts to avert Jasper's attention from me. "Bella," Edward chokes out, "W-wipe it off your face."

What's he talking about? I reach up to my stinging cheek, where the twig grazed my skin, and it's wet. No way. I take a look at my hand – yep, blood.

What do I do? Alice grabs a tissue out of her purse before I can even ask and practically throws it at me. I clean up my face and shove the tissue into my backpack. Gross, I know, but these guys have me convinced that they really are bloodsuckers.

"So…vampires," I laugh half-heartedly. I know I should be filled with dread – should be running, screaming in terror. For some reason, though, all I can do is look around at the Cullens in stupid amazement. Maybe it's because Edward ignored his thirst for blood to protect me. Maybe it's because I discovered in the van incident that I have my own life-preserving ability. Who knows?

They look a bit confused; they're probably also wondering why I'm not having a more human reaction to this new information. "We don't feed on humans, though," Edward clarifies. "Only animals. Jasper here just slipped up; he's newest to this life."

Jasper hangs his head in shame. "Well…" I think out loud. "All this explains your speed, but it doesn't clear up how I was able to make the two of us vanish and reappear somewhere else. I'm human!"

"Well, we can't do that either," Emmett informs me.

"Although, we do have individual talents," Alice adds. "For instance, I can see the future. It's always changing though. The future I see changes whenever someone makes a decision."

"That's incredible!" I say.

"You know Jasper's gift…and Edward can read minds."

"What?"

"Every mind except yours," Edward clarifies. He stares at me with that same frustrated expression from yesterday, and I realize what's going on. "Are you trying to read my mind right now?" I ask him.

"Yes," he admits, "But I can't. With every other mind, I hear thoughts, memories – so many voices, and I see what they've seen, what they see. With you, though, there's nothing. It's like there's a solid wall that I can't see or hear past."

"Odd," I remark, and I think of the irony of this impossible situation – the fact that it's odd that someone _can't _read my mind. "So that's what you really meant yesterday – when you said you were good at reading people."

"Yes," Edward affirms it, "But this doesn't make any sense – how you could have a gift like this. You're human! I've never encountered a human like you before."

The others shake their heads. Apparently they haven't met any humans like me either. "Carlisle might have, though," Alice pipes up. "Bella, how would you like to meet him and Esme?"

"Esme?"

"Our mother," answers Edward. "Adoptive mother."

"If it's all right with them," I answer.

"It will be," says Alice, knowingly. "Oh, I just love get-togethers!"

Rosalie rolls her eyes. "Just don't tell anyone about us, okay?" she hisses at me. "We already have to move around enough. I don't want to be on the run from the Volturi as well."

"The Volturi?" I ask.

"…are nothing you need to be concerned about," Edward informs me. "I think you need to get back to lunch, Bella. I'll see you in Biology."

"Okay," I say, and I walk back alone. They're carrying on a serious conversation as I walk away, but it's too low for me to hear. All I catch is "…wasn't afraid at all!" Huh. I enter the now full and noisy lunchroom and decide to just get a soda, since lunch is almost over, and I sit at Jessica's table.

"Hey, Bella!" Eric greets me.

"We thought you'd found some new lunch buddies," Mike teases me.

"Well," I begin, noticing out of the corner of my eye that the Cullens are going to sit down at their table, "I couldn't find my purse, and then I ran into the Cullens."

I can immediately feel the awkward tension in the air at my table. I guess it's not just Jessica who isn't crazy about the Cullens. "What'd they want?" Mike asks me. "Edward just wanted to ask me about the biology homework," I lie. This seems to suffice, and the table conversation resumes.

Jessica reads into things more, though. "Bella," she half-whispers. "I think Edward Cullen likes you."

"What? Why?"

"He keeps staring at you." Great. It's not like I can explain that he can read minds and hears my words about him in my new friends' thoughts, making him look over at us.

"I doubt he likes me," I tell Jessica. "I mean, I only met the guy yesterday."

"Stranger things happen, Bella."

That's the truth.

Now that I know five kids at my school are vampires, I can't wait for my Biology class, when I'll have the chance to ask one of them all sorts of questions. When I walk into class, Edward is already in his seat. I walk over to sit beside him, and he tenses up again. I just can't help myself. "Are you okay?" I ask him.

He seems to know exactly what I'm talking about. "Yes," he says, his hands still balled up into fists, "It's just one of those things…"

"_Vampire _things?" I whisper. Edward nods. "What, exactly?" I ask him.

"I don't want to frighten you," he murmurs.

"So it's…thirst?" I ask, unable to squelch my morbid curiosity.

At my inquisitive tone, he turns to face me, meeting my gaze. "You aren't afraid," he avoids my question. "Even when Jasper almost…you weren't afraid then. Why? Why aren't you running and screaming? How can you just sit there so calmly?"

"I don't know," is my simple reply. "I asked myself the same thing earlier, but I don't know why. Maybe my brain just hasn't had time to process this. It all just seems like a dream – vampires, reading minds, super speed…I am curious, though. I want to know more about your family and what's happening to me. It doesn't even seem real."

"I can understand that," Edward tells me. "Before I was a vampire, I never would have believed in any of it. I do want to help you find out more about your gift, though. Is anyone in your family able to do anything like it?"

"No," I laugh, "Definitely not."

"Well," he says, "You can still ask Carlisle. He's older; he's seen more. How about this Saturday?"

"Works for me; where's your house, exactly?"

Edward chuckles softly. "It's out in the middle of nowhere. I could pick you up."

"Okay," I give in, wondering if Charlie will think Edward is my boyfriend or something. That could be awkward.

"Excellent," says Edward. "Alice will be thrilled. She's a major party planner."

"Oh. Who else is coming?"

He laughs heartily at this. "Just you – apart from my family, I mean – but Alice has a tendency to go all out for everything. You'll see what I mean."

Before I can tell him that they don't need to go to any trouble on my account, our teacher starts the lecture, droning on about concepts I covered several months ago in Phoenix. Looks like I'll be teaching myself while I'm at Forks.

After school, I almost forget to stop by the grocery store to pick up dinner ingredients for the week. When I finally get home and finish unloading groceries, starting a casserole, and doing homework, Charlie drives up. After dinner and clearing up the kitchen, he watches TV, and I walk upstairs, feeling a tradition in the making.

I pull out the book that I tried to read last night, before dozing off. I've read it several times, though, and I'm sick and tired of the same characters. There is literally nothing to do in this room. It's too cold and dark to go exploring in the woods…but that doesn't mean I can't go exploring inside. I've never actually been in the attic. I was always afraid to climb up the ladder when I was little, so that's where Charlie put my toys in time out if I ever got in trouble. Now, though, that ladder doesn't seem so big. Maybe there are even some old books up there.

I climb up the ladder and switch on the light. There isn't much up here. I spy some boxes of Christmas lights, my old crib, and a wooden chest. Huh. I've never seen that before. It must have belonged to old Grandma Swan. I lift the lid carefully, trying to avoid the inch of dust coating the surface. Inside are a few things, but I pull out the largest first. It's a long, black dress with a leather bodice. Okay, this definitely didn't belong to Grandma Swan. I like it, though. Maybe Charlie would let me have it for a Halloween costume party. It looks witchy.

The next object is a necklace – a silver chain with a raven skull pendant. Pretty cool. Weird but cool. When I try to put the necklace on, I notice an inscription on the back:

"To our dearest Bella.

Love always,

Your sisters."

Your sisters. My eyes feel heavy, and when I shut them, I'm in another vision. It's crystal clear, though, like my dream with the red-headed woman.

_I'm lying in a bed somewhere. A girl – maybe twelve or thirteen – sits on the edge. "This one's for you, Bella." She hands me the raven pendant. I notice her face. Why does she look so much like me?_

_Her face fades from view, and that's when the voices start. There are images, too, but they're so fast that I can't really see them. I just hear the voices:_

_You act like a lying, mudblood bitch…_

_I've seen the real Bellatrix,, and I don't want anything to do with her. _

_I like to make you laugh. _

_Hello, Bellatrix. Come to admire my handiwork, have you?_

_You're an even more powerful witch than I first believed. _

_Thanks for standing up for me, Sirius. _

_Sooner or later you'll have to choose. Just remember that._

_Gryffindors sitting with Slytherins in the Great Hall? What would people think?_

_Do you think you could ever forgive me for all the pain I've caused?_

_Quite honestly, I love you, Bellatrix Black._

_Well, I couldn't let you boys have all the fun._

_…one o'clock. Meet us in the dungeons._

_If there's one person in this world I absolutely loathe, it's Potter._

_ Avada Kadavra._

Gasping loudly, I open my eyes. What was that? Who's Bellatrix, and why are all of these strange things happening to me? Wait. Maybe Bellatrix is the Bella the necklace belongs to. Did touching the necklace make my vision turn into something about her – whoever she was? All of this is just too impossible…supernatural! I'm almost afraid to look into the chest at the third object.

It's a short, carved stick made from some sort of black wood. Maybe I wasn't that far off base with the whole witch costume idea – because this could definitely pass for a wand. When I pick it up, the back of my neck tingles, and my hair flutters, as if in a breeze. It startles me so much that I drop the stick on the floor. Could it really be possible? Magic?

I pick the stick up again and stare at it, debating. This is stupid. There is no such thing as magic.

Yeah. Right. Just like there's no such thing as vampires.

Or psychics.

Or mind readers.

Or…okay. Maybe it's possible. I lift the stick and point it at the nearest target – the attic window. It shatters into a million tiny pieces.

I wonder what the Cullens will think about this new development.

**Please review!**


	6. Chapter 5

**AN: I don't own anything!**

Chapter 5

I stand frozen in place, afraid of what Charlie will say when he comes up here to see what caused all the noise. Instead of his heavy footsteps, though, I still hear the TV blaring loudly downstairs…and snoring. That was a close one. I mean, what would I have told him? "Sorry, Dad, I didn't mean to sneak into the attic and break the window with witchcraft"? Yeah, that would've gone over real well.

I decide to take the contents of the wooden chest to my room. I doubt he'll come looking for them. Judging by the amount of dust on the chest, he hasn't opened it in a long time. Maybe Dr. Cullen can help me figure out more about the wand Saturday. It feels so weird to think that. Before today, I never would've believed in vampires…or witches. Could I really be a witch? Or is it just that the wand is magical, no matter who holds it?

No, that can't be it. Somehow I made Edward Cullen and myself vanish into thin air this morning and reappear in a different place, and I definitely didn't have a wand…not to mention my visions. The one caused by the necklace was the most powerful yet. I can't explain any of this, so I decide it's best to just hide everything in my closet and wait to discuss it with the Cullens.

I'm in the bed with the lights out before I remember the attic window. What am I going to do about it? I head out to the hallway and can still hear Charlie's loud snoring from downstairs. As quietly as possible, I lower the ladder and climb up it. Turning on the attic light, I shiver violently. The broken attic window is letting in the frosty, winter air.

Groaning in frustration, I look for a tarp or something up here to cover the window. There's nothing, of course. My teeth are chattering, and I'm sick and tired of standing here in the cold. I have no idea how I'm going to fix this window. "Ugh!" I burst, storming over to it. "Why can't you just FIX YOURSELF?"

My words have an immediate effect. The shards of glass covering the attic floor rise off the ground on their own. I step back as the sharp pieces fly into place, forming a window that looks brand new. No way. Well, I'll just add that to my insanely long list of questions for the Cullens.

The next morning, I'm bubbling with excitement. I'm going to tell the Cullens all about last night. When I get to school, the parking lot is bustling, but I don't see the Cullens' silver Volvo. Thinking that they're only late, I console myself by planning on just cornering them again at lunch. They aren't at lunch either, though.

I almost ask Jessica if she knows where they are, but then I remember what she said yesterday – about Edward liking me – and I don't want to give her the wrong idea. Instead, I decide to ask Angela as we're leaving lunch.

"I wonder where all the Cullens are today," I muse quietly, hoping the others won't overhear.

"Probably out hiking," Angela answers me. "That whole family is really into outdoorsy stuff. Every now and then, they take off a day or two from school to go on a camping trip or something."

My heart sinks. How am I supposed to wait a few days with all these questions? "And the school's okay with it?" I ask Angela.

She laughs softly. "It's a small town, Bella. Everyone knows Dr. Cullen, and everyone respects him. Plus he's gorgeous…and _super rich_. They aren't about to go out of their way to get his kids in trouble."

"So you're saying they get special treatment?" No wonder it got so awkward when I mentioned the Cullens at the lunch table yesterday.

"A lot of people think so," she admits, pointedly looking at Jessica, Mike, and Lauren.

"And what do you think?" I prompt her.

"I think," Angela ponders for a moment. "I think it doesn't matter what people say about them. If you want to be friends with them, all that should matter is that they're nice to you."

I give her a genuine smile, thinking that I'd like to have her as a friend. She seems very sincere. Later, in Biology, Edward still is missing. I leave school disappointed today, wondering if the Cullens will be out for a few days, like Angela said. Tomorrow comes and goes, and, sure enough, not one Cullen shows up at Forks High. The day after that, they still don't show up. I wonder if we're still on for Saturday. Oh, wow, that's tomorrow!

Later at home, I've just put the potatoes in the oven and sat down to start an essay when the doorbell rings. Who could that be? Jacob, maybe? I peek out the peephole and spy Edward Cullen standing on the doorstep. Whoa, this is a surprise. I open the door for him.

"Hey," I greet him, smiling.

"Hello," he smiles back at me. "Could I come in and talk for a moment?"

"Sure," I let him in and shut the door. We head to the living room. "So what's up?" I ask him as we sit on the couch. "Did you guys go on a trip or something?"

Edward chuckles. "You could say that…" He trails off, looking at me closely. I notice then that his eyes are an even lighter golden color than before. Interesting.

"What?" I ask him. "You don't have to worry about scaring me."

"Well," he says, "Yes it was a trip – a hunting trip…but like I told you before, we only hunt animals."

Why would he worry about telling me that? "Three days seems kind of long for a hunting trip," I note.

Edward shifts uncomfortably on the couch. "It is…but we just wanted to give Jasper plenty of time to satiate his thirst before being around you tomorrow. It's the hardest for him."

The meaning of his words sink in, and it is frightening – Jasper's intense struggle not to drink my blood – but the thought of at least Edward and Alice protecting me pushes this fear to the side. I know I should probably be afraid of all of them, but I think how Edward has protected me in so many ways already. That's when I notice that he actually seems to be relaxed today. Normally when we're sitting this close, he seems tense because of the thirst, but today he seems fine.

"So," I decide to be bold, "You seem…relaxed today."

Edward smiles. "It is easier to be near you right after hunting," he admits. "The thirst isn't as powerful."

I can't help myself. "Your eyes are different, too – lighter. Is that…?"

"Yes," he answers. "Our eyes get darker if we haven't hunted in a while." His tone grows somber. "They get black when our thirst is strongest. I'm just glad it wasn't like that when I met you."

"Why?" I wonder out loud. "You're around humans every day at school. Surely you all must get thirsty around them at times."

"True," he allows, "but your blood is different. I don't know if it's because of your ability or what, but your blood is even more difficult for us to resist than any other human blood is. That's another reason why Jasper had such a hard time resisting it the other day."

I try not to shudder at that. Edward continues, "But he'll be fine tomorrow, and we'll all be there to help him." He pauses. "Do you still want to come over tomorrow and talk to Carlisle? I haven't had the chance to tell him much about your gift since he's been so busy at the hospital, but he seems to think it'd be easier for him to learn more about your situation in person, anyway."

"Yes," I answer. "I definitely still want to go; there's actually more I want to tell you. Something happened a few nights ago."

"Really?" Edward leans a bit closer, clearly interested. "You mean you were able to vanish again?"

"No, not vanish," I begin. "It was actually several things." I then tell him of the chest I found, the vision I had when I touched the necklace, and the incidents with the wand.

By the time I've finished, he's staring at me intently. "I've never met a witch, but I believe Carlisle has some experience with them."

"So they are real?" I ask.

He simply nods. This is insane. I could actually be a witch…Wait.

"If I'm a witch, then wouldn't there be more than just this one ancestor in my family who is a witch, too?"

"That would make sense, but we don't even know if you are one, Bella," Edward replies. "Although, your father at least must know something about that chest. After all, it was in his attic."

"I know; I should probably ask him about it," I say. "I think I'll wait, though. I mean, he might have wanted to keep those things hidden from me. They were in the attic after all."

"You should bring them tomorrow," Edward says. "Perhaps you can demonstrate for Carlisle. I'll ask him tonight what exactly he knows about witches. His father was against them, but I don't know if Carlisle actually met any of them."

We sit in silence for a moment. This is a lot to take in. "So what time tomorrow?" I ask Edward.

"How about I pick you up at noon?" he offers. "I think Alice might actually have lunch planned."

"But none of you eat human food, right?" I ask, confused.

"Not a bit," he assures me. "So you better come hungry." Edward grins wickedly at me.

"Ugh, tell Alice that she doesn't need to go to any trouble. That's just silly."

Edward compromises. "How about we make it two o'clock instead of noon? That way it won't be lunchtime."

I nod in agreement. "Good plan."

"Although, I can't guarantee she and Esme won't try to feed you at least a little something…" Edward chuckles.

I slap him playfully on the arm for teasing me. Whoa! He stops laughing when he sees the shocked expression on my face. "Your skin," I half whisper. "It's freezing."

"Vampire thing," he whispers back.

"I get the feeling there's a lot of 'vampire things.'"

"You'd be correct there," Edward says. He stands up. "I'd better go and check on Jasper. He's been feeling guilty about his slip up the other day."

"He shouldn't," I tell Edward as I walk him to the door. "Nothing actually happened."

Edward spins around with lightning speed. "But it could have, Bella," he warns me. "No matter our intentions, we're dangerous; never forget that. We would never hurt you on purpose, but thirst can be extremely powerful. I just want you to understand what you're getting yourself into by spending time with us, Bella."

"I do understand," I tell him, "but you're forgetting that apparently I have abilities, too – life-saving abilities."

He sighs, frustrated. "Alright, Bella, but you're still human, so just...try not to push Jasper too far, deal?"

"Deal. Hey, where's your car?"

Edward laughs loudly at this. "It's just for appearances, Bella. I can run faster than that Volvo any day."

Right. Vampire speed. "Oh, yeah," I say. "Well, see you tomorrow then."

"See you tomorrow." With that, he zooms off, leaving me standing in awe. It's amazing how life can change completely in a few short days.

At dinner, I tell Charlie of my plans for tomorrow. He seems pleasantly surprised that I've befriended the Cullens. "Just be back in time for the game, Bells," he tells me. "Billy and Jacob are coming over to watch the game and have pizza. I already told them you'd be here."

"That's fine," I answer truthfully. I'm glad I'll get to see Jacob again. He really wasn't kidding when he said he and Billy come out here a lot.

The next day, it seems like two o'clock will never get here. Charlie's gone fishing, so I'm left alone in the house to wait for Edward to pick me up. I've done all my homework and scrubbed pretty much every inch of the house before lunch. I grab a bite and head upstairs to get ready. I'm about to get dressed when I remember the black dress that I found in the attic. My curiosity fills me with the strangest urge to try it on.

I slip the dress on. It's a bit too large in the bust, so I have to tighten up the laces some on the bodice. Other than that, it fits perfectly. I walk over to my mirror to take a look. Damn. I look good. Something's not quite right, though. I take my long curls out of ponytail and shake out my long hair, letting some stray curls fall in my face.

That's better. I can't stop staring at my reflection. There's just something about this that seems so…familiar. I tilt my head, thinking, and when I do, I'm hit with another vision.

_I'm in a dark room, dressed in the black dress, holding the wand from the wooden chest._

_Other people are here, fighting with wands, attacking each other with curses. I am fighting as well when I see another opening. A man and a teenage boy are trying to fight off others dressed in black like myself. They won't see me coming. _

_I find myself walking toward them and pointing my wand at the man. "AVADA KADAVRA!" I yell, and green light shoots out of my wand, hitting him. I see the man close his eyes before falling backwards, dead._

_The boy standing next to him stares at me in shock before lunging for me, but another man holds him back. "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" the boy yells as a dark chuckle escapes my lips._

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" my own screaming wakes me from my vision.

"Bella! What's wrong?" Edward's voice? My eyes flutter open. I'm laying on my bed, and he's kneeling next to me.

"E-Edward?" I ask, hopelessly confused. "How did you get in…did Charlie come back or something?"

"No, I got here early, and I heard…vampires can hear and smell extremely well, Bella. I heard your pulse, and I could smell all the adrenaline. I thought something was extremely wrong, so I looked for a key and sure enough, it was under the door mat. When I got up here, you were passed out on the floor, so I moved you…but then you started writhing around and screaming. Bella, _what _is going on? And what are you wearing?"

I look down. Oh yeah – the black dress. "Edward, I found this in the chest I told you about. I decided to try it on, and as soon as I did, I had a vision – like when I tried to put the necklace on. I can't explain it."

He frowns in concern. "What was it about?" he asks.

I give him some details about the battle, leaving out the part where I killed someone. "I just wish I knew what all this meant," I tell him. "I used to have visions every once in a while…or strange dreams…but nothing so clear since I found this chest."

Edward seems worried about this piece of information. "You had visions before coming into contact with the chest?" he demands.

I nod. "Nothing like this, though. They're so clear now. It's like having physical contact with her possessions has provoked these stronger visions."

"Bellatrix, you mean – your ancestor?" he clarifies.

I nod and then suddenly remember my dream about the redheaded woman and explain it to Edward. "She had called me Bellatrix in the dream," I continue. "It's got to be the same Bellatrix. My witch ancestor must be reaching out to me from the grave or something."

He nods, deep in thought. "I'll be right back," I tell him, grabbing my clothes and heading to the bathroom. Thinking about my earlier outfit, I decide to leave my curly hair down and wild, instead of putting it in its usual ponytail. It feels nice – free. Edward's still in my room when I come back, and I shove the dress – along with the wand and necklace – into my backpack since I don't have a purse big enough.

"Ready?" I ask.

He chuckles at me with my big backpack. "Yes, let's go."

We walk out to his silver Volvo, and he holds the door for me like a gentleman. "Taking the car today," I note when he gets in and backs out of the driveway.

"For you," he admits. "To be honest, I could carry you on my back and still get us there faster than by car, but the speed would be very disorienting for you as a human."

"You don't think I could handle it," I accuse.

He grins at me. "Humans are very delicate."

"Hey!" I protest. "I bet I could stand it. I handled vanishing in the parking lot just fine."

"Alright," he challenges. "Next time then."

"Next time," I assure him, and I look out my window, hoping that Dr. Cullen will have some answers for me today.

**Review please!**


	7. Chapter 6

**AN: I don't own anything!**

Chapter 6

Edward was right; the Cullen house is hard to find. Plus, the driveway is so long that the house is hidden in the woods. Inside, Dr. and Mrs. Cullen are the first to greet us. They shake my hand and tell me to call them Carlisle and Esme. Carlisle is blonde and even more gorgeous than the rumors led me to believe. Esme has golden curly hair that she wears in a short bob, reminding me of a glamorous flapper girl, especially with her red lipstick. They all lead me into the living room, where the others are waiting.

"Bella!" Alice practically sings, skipping over to me with a tray of desserts. "Make yourself at home. Here! You hungry?"

I try not to laugh as I take a brownie off the tray. "Thanks, Alice," I say, shooting Edward a glance as I take a bite. He had been right. He chuckles as I glare at him while eating my brownie, hopelessly confusing the others.

Carlisle speaks up. "Bella," he addresses me. "I understand that you're seeking information on your abilities. Edward enlightened us today about the most recent developments with the items from the chest."

I slide my backpack off and open it up. "I brought everything with me," I tell Carlisle, handing him the wand and the necklace. He inspects them both intently, while the others look on in silence.

"Edward said you might know something about witches," I prompt him.

"Did he?" says Carlisle, looking up at Edward. He must be thinking a question toward him, because I notice Edward shake his head "no." "Bella," Carlisle continues, "Vampires do not age. We can go on living indefinitely unless actually killed. So, we are much older than we seem. I, for instance, am the oldest of our family. I was born in 17th century London."

"_17th century London,"_ I repeat, mystified. Carlisle and several of the others smile at my amazement.

"Yes," Carlisle affirms it. "My father was a witch hunter; actually a hunter of anything supernatural. When I reached manhood, he figured it was time for me to carry on the family tradition. That's how I became a vampire – an ugly encounter with some vampires in a London sewer not long after I started participating in the hunts. I left London not long after, but before I was attacked, I did come into contact with a few witches in the area. They had wands similar to this one, but I never got to see them use them. Whenever I got close to them, they would simply vanish into thin air, the way I heard you vanished the other day."

I can feel everyone's eyes on me now. "So you really think I'm a witch?" I have to know.

"It's the only explanation I can think of," Carlisle answers.

Emmett walks over and takes the wand from Carlisle, turning it this way and that. "How does this thing even work?" he asks, clearly frustrated.

"I really have no idea," I admit. "Last time, I just pointed to the window, and it shattered." I hold out my hand, expectantly, "Let me see." In a flash, the wand flies out of Emmett's vise-like grip and lands in my open hand.

His jaw drops; I would laugh if I weren't so stunned. I don't think I'm ever going to get used to any of this. "Bella!" Edward can't help himself, "How did you _do _that?"

I feel a blush creeping into my cheeks; I'm not used to being the center of attention. "I have no idea…it's like the wand knew what I wanted. It responded to me."

"Bella," Edward suggests, "Why don't you show Carlisle your vanishing gift?"

"Edward," Esme interjects, looking at him pointedly.

"Good idea," he says. "Let's move this outside so you can show Carlisle your vanishing gift. Wouldn't want to break anything." He gives Esme a perfect smile, like the golden child I'm sure he is, and she pats him on the head.

"I don't think I can do it at will, Edward," I protest. "It was just that one time…"

Rosalie sighs, annoyed. "Will she be able to?" she asks Alice.

It's then that I notice how frustrated Alice looks. "To be honest, it's getting harder to see Bella's future. I didn't want to say anything before because I thought I was losing my gift…but I think it must have something to do with _her _gift…her magic." Poor little Alice looks so confused and worried, but Jasper pulls her in for a hug; she seems more at ease instantly. "Thanks, Jazz," she tells him.

Emmett turns to me. "Only one way to find out then!" he says. "Unless you're too scared."

"I'm not scared," I huff. Edward grins. "Then let's go," he tells me.

We all follow Edward out to the backyard – okay what would be a backyard but really is mostly forest. "Okay," Edward says, "Last time you managed to vanish because you thought the van was going to hit us."

"Yeah…" I say, not sure if I'm going to like where this is going.

"So," he continues. "Try and remember what it felt like."

What it felt like? Bloody terrifying, that's what it felt like! "I told you," I respond. "I saw everyone else standing on the other side of the parking lot, and I just wished I was standing over there."

"Sounds easy enough," Jasper comments. "You just saw where you wanted to go and then willed yourself to go there."

"If it were easy," I answer, "surely I would've been able to do it before I was thrown into a near-death situation."

"Maybe that just triggered your gift," Edward suggests. "You'll never know if you don't just try."

I sigh in defeat. It's not that I'm afraid of this gift. I just don't want to be embarrassed when I try and fail in front of them. Jasper picks up on my mood instantly. "You just need a little confidence, Bella," he says with a wink, and I feel less anxious immediately. I smile at him in gratitude.

"Okay," I say. "I'm ready."

"Alright," Edward tells me, pointing at a tree several yards away. "You see that tree?" I nod. "Try to vanish and appear over by that tree," he instructs me.

This is never going to work. I feel my fake confidence slipping away as quickly as it came. Taking a deep breath to calm down, I stare at the tree. _"I can do this,"_ I think to myself. _"I've done it before."_ Something inside me tells me that I have to want this. I close my eyes. I have to really want to be over there, or it's not going to work. That's when I realize that I do want it. I want it because if I can do this at will, that means I'm special. That means I'm really part of this supernatural world I've just discovered. That means I've come a long way in finding my place in the world in general. I open my eyes to look at the tree again.

I wish with all my might that I over at that tree, and immediately, everything goes blurry. I feel that same suffocating feeling from last time, like I'm being squeezed through a tiny tube or something, but it's over in an instant. I open my eyes to see the Cullens staring up at me. Up? I then realize that I'm sitting on a low branch in the tree I was aiming for. I did it!

The Cullens are clearly impressed, and Carlisle affirms that he saw those witches centuries ago in London do the exact same thing. We all agree that I'm most likely a witch, even though I've never heard anyone in my family mention it before. "My father kept extensive diaries, Bella," Carlisle informs me. "I still have them, so I'll be glad to do some digging and see if there's anything useful about witches in them."

I thank him profusely. The others want me to do the vanishing trick some more; they make me practice by traveling longer distances. Then, it turns into a race between all of us – except Carlisle and Esme. The first few times, Edward wins because I have to concentrate before I really get the hang of popping in and out of thin air. As we keep going, though, and go farther, I start to win…and it feels pretty awesome to win a race against vampires, I've got to say.

Before I know it, it's time to go home. I give my goodbyes to everyone, and Esme assures me that I'm "always welcome here, Bella." She truly is a sweet person. "Your family's so nice," I tell Edward, as we're driving back in his car.

He seems pleased to hear this. "I don't know what I'd do without them," he admits.

I look out the window. Whoa! The trees are flying by! I almost ask Edward to slow down, but then I remember that I really need to get home since we're going to be having company. I glance at my phone. Crap! I'm running late. Maybe it's a good thing vampires drive like maniacs.

Billy and Jacob are already there, parked on the street in Jacob's Rabbit when we get home. Charlie's police cruiser is nowhere to be seen. He must be picking up the pizzas. Billy and Jacob see us pull up and start to get out of the car. I start to get out, but then I feel very rude. "Do you want to come in, Edward?" I ask, gesturing to Billy and Jacob. "We're just having some family friends over to watch the game."

Edward doesn't hesitate. "Thanks, but I don't think that would be a very good idea, Bella.

I know who Billy Black is; he's a Quileute elder…and he believes all the tribe legends. His thoughts are plenty clear on what he thinks of me."

Jacob is wheeling Billy over, and Billy is staring Edward down. "Wait, the Quileutes have legends about vampires?" I ask.

Edward nods. "And like I said, Billy believes every bit of it. Anyway, here they come. You better go. I'll see you at school Monday."

"Thanks for the ride!" I get out, and he drives off, just as Jacob and Billy come up the driveway.

"Hey, Bells," Jacob greets me. He seems a little down. I bet it's because he just saw Edward drive me home. I decide to nip this in the bud by telling them I'm sorry I'm late; I was at the Cullens' getting some tutoring. Billy's eyes narrow at this, but Jacob's face lights up. Yep, I'm pretty darn sure that boy likes me.

"Hi, Billy," I say tentatively, wondering if he'll say anything about Edward.

"Bella," he nods. I let them in and start chatting with Jake. Billy stares at me, staying silent, but Jacob doesn't notice. I'm starting to wonder if Charlie will ever get here when I hear him pull up. "Jacob," Billy says, "go help Charlie with the pizzas."

Jacob sighs but goes anyway, and Billy takes the opportunity to address me. "Bella," he says, "how well do you know the Cullens?"

There it is. "Billy, if this is about the legends, I know all about them…at least the ones that pertain to the Cullens."

Billy doesn't look satisfied. He opens his mouth to say something else, but I cut him off. "And I know that they're true," I confess.

His eyes widen. "Well, then, Bella," he scolds, "you should know better than to spend time with them…especially in a romantic way."

Ugh. I so don't want to be having this conversation with my dad's best friend. "Look," I tell Billy, "it isn't like that between Edward and me. He drove me out to his house today; the whole family was there." Billy tenses up at this.

"Bella, do you have any idea how dangerous that is? Walking into a house full of 'cold ones?'"

I guess that's the Quileute nickname for 'vampire.' I realize that the only way to get Billy off my case is to tell him the whole truth. "Billy, don't worry. The reason I was over there today was so that I could get some answers. I've…got a gift myself. This gift…it's really not dangerous for me to be around the Cullens because of it. They're trying to help me figure out more about it."

Billy opens his mouth to ask what gift I'm talking about, I'm sure, but at that moment, Charlie and Jacob walk in with the pizzas and drinks. I leave Billy to greet Charlie and set up some TV trays in the living room. Hopefully Billy will just drop this whole thing.

Jacob and I watch part of the game but end up going up to my room to play a game of cards for old time's sake. We sit down on my bed to start the game, and I can't help thinking that this should be pretty awkward – having a guy in my room with both our dads downstairs…but it isn't. Being around Jake just feels so natural to me, like breathing. Eventually, he asks what Billy wanted to talk to me about.

"You caught that, huh?" I ask him.

"Are you kidding me, Bells?" he laughs. "That wasn't a 'go help with the pizzas.' That was a 'go help with the pizzas so I can have a little chat with Bella.'"

I give him a little smile. "Well…" I trail off, wondering if I should really tell him. "Do you know anything about the Quileute legends?" I ask Jacob.

He groans. "He wanted to talk to you about Cullen, didn't he?"

"All the Cullens," I clarify.

"Jeez, Bells, I'm sorry about my dad. I don't know why he's gotta believe in all that stuff."

"Is there more?" I ask, suddenly fascinated. "I mean, more than the part about the 'cold ones?'"

Jake nods. "It's actually pretty cool, if you don't take it too seriously," he grins. He tells me all about the legend – how the Quileutes were supposedly descended from wolves or something, how the Cullens are vampires who made a peace treaty with the Quileutes long ago to only feed on animals and not hunt on their land.

Jacob laughs the whole thing off, but I'm forced to consider the possibility that what he said about the Quileutes having ties to wolves is true (since the vampire bit is true)…what would that mean, though? Are wolves their spirit guides or something? Or could werewolves actually exist?

I really want to tell Jake about my magic but I don't know how he'd react since he doesn't believe in any of this stuff. I guess I'll just wait for when the time is right. All of these thoughts are running through my head when Jacob says my name. "It's your turn," he says, staring at me in concern, reminding me of the look Billy had earlier. "Is everything okay, Bella?" Jacob asks me.

"Yeah!" I reply. "Sorry, I'm spacing out. I guess I'm just tired."

"I didn't scare you with all that tribal stuff did I?" he asks, giving a half-hearted laugh.

"Definitely not," I say, giving him a real smile. Our game resumes, and soon enough, the ball game is over. Billy and Charlie head down to Jacob's car, still engrossed in their discussion about the ball game, leaving Jacob and me standing at the front door.

"I had fun hangin' out, Bells," Jake tells me, pulling me in for a bear hug.

"Me too," I assure him. "We should hang out more often."

"Works for me!" he says, grinning as I walk him down to the car.

Charlie and I walk back to the house once Billy and Jacob leave. I start to go upstairs to my room, but Charlie stops me. "Bella," he says. "There's something we need to discuss."

Oh, no. Surely Billy didn't convince my father of all people that vampires are real. When I turn around to face Charlie, though, he's holding my backpack – my open backpack that I left in the kitchen because I was preoccupied with Billy. You've got to be kidding me. Well, I guess I knew I'd have to talk to Charlie about this eventually.

"I see you've been up in the attic," Charlie says.

"I'm sorry!" I blurt out. "I just needed a costume for something at school." It's all I can come up with.

"Do you know what all of this is?" he asks me.

"I was gonna ask you that…I mean the necklace has my name on it."

"Bella," Charlie takes a deep breath. "Honey, you're adopted."

Adopted? NOT the response I was expecting. "Y-you never told me?" I say. "Why would you and Renee not tell me something like that? I'm seventeen!"

"I know, Bells," Charlie sighs. He sounds like he's about to cry. "We just never knew how. Renee would always tell me that she was waiting for the right moment to tell you…and then when I'd get to see you, I guess I was just being selfish. I didn't want to risk you being mad at me for whatever short time I had with you each summer…so I just kept the truth to myself. I'm so sorry honey."

I give him a hug. "So," I wonder, "did all of this belong to my biological family?"

He nods. "We think so. It's what we found you with. That's why Renee wanted to name you 'Bella,' because she saw that inscription on the necklace and figured it was your mother's name."

So Bellatrix is my mother…or was my mother…not some ancestor or even distant relative. "Can I keep it then?" I ask Charlie. "Since it was hers?"

"Of course, sweetheart," he tells me, tearing up. "I'm just so sorry I've kept it from you this long."

Tonight, I lay in bed, fiddling with the pendant that most likely belonged to my mother, and I find myself wondering just what sort of person this Bellatrix was and whether or not she's still alive. Thinking over my day, I realize how insane of a day it really has been…racing vampires, hearing legends about werewolves, finding out my biological mother was probably this witch who's sending me visions…somewhere in the midst of all that thinking, I drift off into sleep.

_I'm in the woods. It's dark, but I can still tell that these aren't the woods of Forks. There's a boy my age standing in front of me, but the next thing I know, he's transformed into an animal! Where he was standing a moment ago, there's a stag. Incredible! There are other creatures nearby as well – a shaggy, black dog, a rat…could they really be people as well? I hear a twig snap, and I turn; impossible…_

_In front of me is a huge, two-legged, hairy beast that I figure has to be a werewolf. I know I should be terrified, but I don't run. Instead, I watch as the monster plays with his smaller furry friends. _

_The scene shifts, and I'm in a room with the girl who gave me the pendant in another vision. I'm crying, and – wait, why am I crying? Her face is tear-streaked, too, but she smiles a small smile at me and takes my raven pendant off of me. She brings the pendant to her lips, giving it a light kiss, and it opens up. Magic! It's a magic locket. _

_The girl tries to show me the picture inside the locket, but I can't see the tiny image through my tears. Before I can dry them, the scene is fading away again…_

I open my eyes, and I'm back to reality. That dream has me thinking, though. I turn on my bedside lamp and pick the pendant up off my nightstand, turning it over in my fingers, looking to see if there's some hinge I missed before – some crack that would indicate this thing opens. Finally, I decide that if it does actually open, magic has got to be the only way. So, I do what I saw the girl do in my dream; I lift the pendant to my lips and give it a little peck.

It slides open for me just like in the dream, and I can now see what the image was. It startles me at first, because the photograph inside the locket is moving – more magic! I have to take a closer look because the photograph is so small. It's of two girls, waving and smiling. One of them is the girl who gave me the pendant, the girl I saw open it in my dream. She really does look like me…maybe she's one of my mother's sisters or something. After all, the inscription says the locket is to Bellatrix, from her sisters.

I then look at the other sister, the sister with the long, golden curls.

My breath catches in my throat.

I know those golden locks. I know that face. It is identical to my own – my twin, Andromeda! I look back to the younger girl's face – Narcissa!

Andromeda, Narcissa, I remember now, turning over the locket to look at the inscription once more. Yes, they were Bella's sisters…_Bella's sisters! _I've been such a fool. I've had the answer all this time. I suppose it took seeing dear Andy's face to remind me.

I don't have to wonder anymore, though. I don't have to search for answers. They weren't visions. They were memories!

My head feels like it's about to explode as it all comes flooding back. I slide on _my_ necklace and walk over to pull _my_ wand out of my bookbag. Oh, it feels so good to hold it again. I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, young again, and I break into a devilish smile.

Bellatrix is back, bitches, and she's here to stay.

**Aaaaand she's back! Please review!**


	8. Chapter 7

**AN: I don't own Twilight or HP!**

Chapter 7

I can't believe it's been seventeen years – _seventeen years_ that I've been living in the muggle world with no memories of my old life. The last memory I have before Weasley zapped me is of the battle…I missed the end, but I think the outcome is fairly obvious. If Lord Voldemort had won, he would've come looking for me, his most faithful servant. In a way, though, I'm relieved. Since I've been…reborn, I suppose, I feel as if I've gained something that I'd lost. People once called me crazy, evil, demented…all sorts of things. Maybe they were right. I'm filled with regret and self-loathing for all the innocent lives I took and the people I tortured. Maybe my mind has healed, and I've got my sanity back in this second life.

Or maybe not. I think of Sirius Black – how I killed him, how I _finally _killed him. No, I don't regret killing my cousin one bit.

That traitor got what he deserved.

I do my best to push the faces of my innocent victims out of my mind, remembering the feeling I used to get from killing, torturing. It was an unexplainable high…their pain and suffering was like a drug to me. Looking back, I can't believe the monster I became. I was a completely different witch back when I was just a girl. Things were different then…

I wonder if anyone in the wizarding world knows I'm alive. What, did old Weasley just decide to save my life and then not tell anyone? Just let me grow up in peace? That can't be right. Charlie's snores bring me back to the present. I think how odd this situation is; if you count up both my lives, I'm actually older than him…not unlike how the Cullens look so much younger than they actually are. How strange to think that I've led two different lives. It's like being two different people – especially with two different accents. I test out some phrases in my American accent, but it just doesn't feel right anymore. It feels like I'm pretending, but I suppose I'll keep up the charade – for Charlie's sake. I'm not exactly keen on heading back to the wizarding world and getting thrown into Azkaban first thing. If I return, that will take some planning.

For now, though, at least I've got the Cullens who will soon know my secret. Perhaps I'll even tell Jacob Black someday. I rather like that boy, and I think we could have fun together. Rodolphus is surely old and gray by now anyway…if he survived. My morbid hope is that he got his arse properly kicked by one of the aurors. I hope Cissy and Draco made it, though. I can't think about them right now, though, or I'll want to apparate back there to find them.

Sighing, I put my wand and necklace away and climb back into bed. Forks. How ironic it is that I would end up in a town that vampires migrated to. Lord Voldemort was on good terms with a coven of them; he had befriended one of them on his first rise to power and then proceeded to strike up an alliance with that coven. The deal was that that coven would send vampires to help in battle. In return, they would have claim to the witches' and wizards' blood spilled in the process. Our blood, from what I've heard, is somewhat of a luxury to vampires. It's said to smell and taste much better to them than muggle blood does…oh! Of course! That's what Edward Cullen meant the other day when he said my blood was harder to resist. I had just forgotten…any way, I was also on good terms with that other coven. They didn't shy away from killing humans as the Cullens do. Back then, that's the sort of person I was, too. It's a good thing I was skilled with a wand, though, because some of them still had trouble controlling their thirst around me.

I drift off to sleep, remembering their blood-red eyes…

Sunday. Charlie's decided to go fishing all day again, so I'm left all alone in the house. I contemplate staying in, practicing all the spells I now remember, but I want to announce to someone that I finally have my memories back; I decide to pop in on the Cullens. I hope they're awake. I know from my old life just how strong and dangerous vampires are, but they still have to sleep. I get dressed quickly, putting on my raven pendant and grabbing my wand. Instead of bothering with the truck, I simply apparate back to the Cullen house.

The next thing I know, I'm standing on their front porch. I raise my hand to knock, but a voice behind me stops me instantly. "Bella?" I turn to see Edward getting up from a rocking chair on the porch. He starts to walk toward me, with the most shocked expression I've seen yet on his face. I don't know why…he's seen me apparate before.

I open my mouth to tell him all about last night – how my memories of my old life came flooding back; how I was cursed to grow up all over again; how I remember people, events, spells, everything now. Edward stops me before I can say anything, though. "Bella," he says again, this time in a whisper.

"What?" I ask him, not bothering to hide my true, British accent.

"I know. Your thoughts – I can hear them. All those memories you regained…your old life…I can see it all, Bella…everything that you see!"

That's right; he couldn't read my thoughts for some reason. And now he can somehow? We'll fix that, though. I use the magical art of occlumency against him, voluntarily shutting him out. "Can you see it now?" I ask, testing.

Edward's face falls. "No," he admits. "What happened?" I simply smile mischievously at him, and he practically drops his jaw in amazement. "You did that? How?" he wants to know.

"Magic," comes my snarky but honest reply.

He grins at me. "I like the accent, by the way."

"Thanks," I tell him, "the other one just doesn't feel right anymore…now that I remember."

Soon enough, the others wake up, and I get to tell my story all over again. Carlisle is the only one missing; he got called into work early this morning. Everyone seems happy for me about getting my memories back, but they're certainly shocked to hear my story about growing up all over again. I have to admit, though, living another life is certainly better than the alternative. Weasley could've killed me, but she didn't…

I notice Edward staring at me, his eyes full of concern. Shit. I let my mental shield drop, and he heard my thoughts. I quickly fix that, and his usual frustrated expression returns.

"So, now that I have my memory back," I address everyone, "I remember that I actually knew a coven of vampires..."

More shocked looks. "Which coven?" asks Jasper.

"They called themselves the Volturi," I explain. Great. Even more stares. "I take it they aren't friends of yours?" I ask.

"How much do you know about the Volturi?" Edward asks me.

"How much did you see in my head?" I counter.

"Just you getting cursed by that red-headed woman," he assures me. I suppose I'll have to believe him.

"I know," I inform them, "that the Volturi are the self-appointed law enforcers for the vampire world." I proceed to explain my connection with them, through Lord Voldemort.

"Sounds like you were real cozy with them," Emmett accuses.

"It was a different life," I try to explain. "I was a different person then." My words don't seem to convince him…I'm not entirely convinced either.

I spend a good part of the day at their house, though, practicing spells I now remember – as well as trying to explain different aspects of the wizarding world to them. However, I try to avoid talking about death eater Bellatrix…which means leaving out a lot. When Jasper asks me what the war was all about, I tell him I'm not sure I want to talk about it yet. I'm worried about what they'll think when they find out the truth about my past, and I can tell that Jasper picks up on this worry. He fixes his golden gaze on me, as if willing me spit out the truth.

This seems like as good a time as any to leave. After giving goodbyes to everyone and telling them to fill Carlisle in for me, I apparate back home. I appear in the front yard and then panic. How could I have been so stupid? What if Charlie sees? I should've apparated into the woods right next to my bloody house! I don't see the cruiser in the driveway, though, and I remember Charlie's fishing all day. Thank God! I don't know what I would've done if –

"BELLA?" No. No no no no, I know that voice. Slowly, I turn around to face Jacob Black, who's now walking up the driveway.

"Bella, what WAS that?!" he demands.

Looks like I'll be telling Jacob sooner rather than later. This ought to be interesting.

**Please review!**


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